An apparatus including a host interface and a power management interface. The host interface may be configured to receive control words from a host. The power management interface may be configured to (i) enable the host to read/write data from/to a power management circuit of a dual in-line memory module, (ii) communicate the data, (iii) generate a clock signal and (iv) communicate an interrupt signal. The power management interface is disabled at power on. The apparatus is configured to (i) decode the control words, (ii) enable the power management interface when the control words provide an enable command and (iii) perform a response to the interrupt signal. The clock signal may operate independently from a host clock.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An apparatus comprising: a host interface configured to receive (i) control words and (ii) a system clock signal from a host; and a power management interface configured to (i) enable said host to read/write data from/to a power management circuit of a dual in-line memory module, (ii) communicate said data, (iii) generate a clock signal and (iv) communicate an interrupt signal, wherein (a) said power management interface is disabled at power on, (b) said apparatus is configured to (i) decode said control words, (ii) enable said power management interface when said control words provide an enable command and (iii) perform a response to said interrupt signal and (c) said clock signal of said power management interface operates independently from said system clock signal received through said host interface to provide ripple voltage processing without using said system clock signal.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said apparatus implements a registered clock driver on said dual in-line memory module.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said apparatus is configured to poll said data from said power management circuit periodically.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a pre-defined register space, wherein said data is stored in said pre-defined register space.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said control words enable said host to read from and write to said pre-defined register space.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said control words that are written to even numbered addresses of said pre-defined register space provide an address of said power management circuit for at least one of a read operation and a write operation.
7. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said control words that are written to odd numbered addresses of said pre-defined register space provide said data for at least one of a read operation and a write operation.
8. The apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a counter, wherein said counter is configured to track said control words.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further configured to perform a response type when said interrupt signal is received, wherein said response type comprises (a) no response in a first mode, (b) masking a register and waiting for said host to decide in a second mode and (c) clearing said register in a third mode.
10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said apparatus generates said interrupt signal to communicate that said dual in-line memory module is in a low power state.
11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein operating said clock signal independently from said system clock signal enables said apparatus to generate and respond to commands regardless of a state of said system clock signal.
12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further configured to generate an alert signal, wherein (a) said alert signal is presented to said host in response to receiving said interrupt signal, (b) said host reads an error log register of said apparatus in response to said alert signal and (c) said alert signal is asserted until a clear command is received from said host.
13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said power management interface implements a master I 2 C protocol.
14. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said apparatus is configured using a JEDEC standard pinout in addition to (i) a pin for said data, (ii) a pin for said clock signal and (iii) a pin for said interrupt signal.
15. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said data comprises a power measurement readout, a current consumption measurement readout, a status of said apparatus, a temperature readout.
16. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said power management interface is configured to enable bi-directional communication of said data.
17. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said power management interface reduces an amount of bandwidth in a host bus used by said dual in-line memory module.
18. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said power management interface reduces a readout time latency of said data compared to using a host bus.
19. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said dual in-line memory module is implemented according to a double data rate fifth-generation synchronous dynamic random-access memory (DDR5 SDRAM) standard.
20. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said response to said interrupt signal comprises entering a self-refresh state to reduce power consumption is said apparatus.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
May 1, 2018
September 8, 2020
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